Railroad cattle-guard



.(No Model.)

D. s. LERMO'ND.

RAILROAD CATTLEI GUARD.

No. 355,183. A Patented Dec. 28, 1886..

ATTORNEYS.

,UNITED STATES PATENT Orricn..

.DELVIN S. LERMOND, OF DELPHI, INDIANA.

RAILROAD CATTLE-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 355,183, dated December28, 1886.

Application filed August 14, 1886. Serial No. 210,947. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, z'z, may concern:

Be it known that I, DELvIN S. LERMOND, of Delphi, in thevcounty ofCarroll and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Railroad Cattle-Guards, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in an improved railroad cattle-guard, which willbe hereinafter fullyT described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure' 1 is a top plan view ofmy invention, showing the same applied in its operative position. Fig. 2is a vertical sectional view taken on line x m, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 isavertical sectional view taken on line y y, Fig. 1.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

Referring to the several parts by letter, A A represent the ties onwhich the rails B B are supported, these parts being of the usualconstruction.

The guard consists of the central section, G, which fits between therails, and the side sections C C,which are secured on the outer sides ofthe rails, as shown, the Whole guard being about nine feet square overall. Each section is composed of the parallel side pieces, D D, whichmay be made of either cast or wrought iron, these side pieces beingreduced at their ends on the upper sides thereof, and having theapertures D formed vertically through their ends for the bolts E, whichsecure the sections of the guard removably to the ties in theiroperative positions. The side pieces of the guards are formed of ironplates or strips of the requisite length, and usually five and onehalfinches wide, one inch of the entire upper edge of this piece being bentover at right angles to form the top of the side piece, while one and'one half inch of the entire lower edge is bent parallel to the upperedge to form the lower edge or bottom of the side piece, both of thesaid edges being bent inwardly toward the slats to prevent the ends ofthe same from moving up or down. Quadrangular iron bands F are securedbetween the topand bottom flanges of the side pieces by ,riveting themthereto, so as to form between them the slanting spaces or sockets F',the middle portion of the inner face of each side piece havinga verticalrecess or socket, in which fits a vertical slat, Gr. The quadrangularbands F also form of the side pieces being three inches high, and

when the slats are securedin the sockets at a'n angle of aboutthirtydegrees theirupper edges project an inch above the tops ofthe sidepieces, While their lower edges are preferably cut off or beveled, asshown, so as to lie flush with the lower edges of the side pieces. Theupper edges of the slats project above the rails, as it is necessary touse wide slats to forman effective guard, and the ends of the slats musttherefore be reduced to form tenons that enter the sockets formedbetween the bands F. The side pieces are held firmly together by therodsK, the outer faces of the side pieces being countersunk at those pointsfor the reception of the heads and nuts of the rod-s.

To the outer sides of the side pieces are riveted the short strips ofiron L, the upper and lower ends of which are bent outwardly at rightangles and inclined at the same angles as the slats themselves, eachpiece thus forming two inclined lugs, L.

Myimproved cattle-guard is bolted down on the common track-ties withoutdisturbing the road-bedin the least, thus saving the eX- pense ofdigginga ditch in the usual way, the middle section tting between therails,while the two side sections are secured on the outer sides of therails, as shown, making the entire guard about nine feet square.

It will be seen that by arranging the slats slanting from the centertoward each end,when stock step on the guard from either end, their feetwill slide down between the slats, which thus catch the feet and preventthe stock from walking up on the guard, while there is nothing toprevent the stock from backing off the guard. rIhe slanting lugs on theouter faces of the side pieces will preventv the stock from steppingbetween the side pieces and the rails.

NVhen the road-bed or track needs repairs,

it is. only necessary to unfasten the bolts which secure the side piecesto the ties and lift the guard to one side.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection withthekaccompanying drawings, the construction and advantages of my im- A IOO between the said'edges toform the inclined proved railroad-guard willbe readily understood. It will be seen that it is simple and eheapin itsconstruction, while at the same time it is exceedingly efficient in itsoperation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is- Y 1. The combination of the side pieceshaving the inwardly-bent upper and lower longitudinal edges, thequadrangular bands secured sockets, theinclined lugs secured on theouter sides of the side pieces, the slats, and the rods connecting theside pieces together, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a cattle-guard, of the side pieces formedot'angle-irons, andthe spaced quadrangnlar bands secured withinthe lside pieces to the top and bottom thereof, to brace the same and forminclined sockets, with the slats resting at their ends in the saidsockets, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the side pieces formed of channel-ironsprovided with spaced cuadrangular bands secured to the top and bottomthereof, to brace said channel-irons and forni sockets. of the slatsextending above the tops of the channel-irons, and reduced at their endsto fit Within the said sockets, and rods and nuts securing,r the sidepieces together, substantially as set forth.

DELVIN S. LERMOND.

Witnesses:

GEORGE CURLL, J. W. KILGORE.

